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'Metro Manila' Wins Big at British Independent Film Awards

Sean Ellis' drama took home best indie film and best director, while James McAvoy won best actor for "Filth."

LONDON – Sean Ellis and his Philippines-set Metro Manila were the big winners at this year's British Independent Film Awards.

The film picked up a trio of awards, including the best British independent film and best director, during the ceremony, the U.K.'s second most prestigious and well-attended awards after the BAFTA Film Awards. To secure the best film win, Metro Manila held sway over Philomena, The Selfish Giant and Le Week-end as well as Starred Up.

Ellis beat a best director field of Jon S Baird (Filth), Clio Barnard (The Selfish Giant), JonathanGlazer (Under the Skin) and Mackenzie (Starred Up). Ellis' movie also picked up the trophy for best achievement in production at the awards held at Old Billingsgate hosted by BIFA-winning actor James Nesbitt.

Ben Mendelsohn, the Aussie actor known to many for his turn in The Dark Knight Rises, walked off with the evening's best supporting actor honor at this year's British Independent Film Awards.

He was honored for his work in David Mackenzie's visceral and violent prison drama Starred Up. Mendelsohn's win was the only award of the night for Mackenzie's movie despite the film leading the pack going in with eight nominations including best director and the event's biggest award, the best British independent film.

In the best actor category, James McAvoy won for his turn in Filth beating out competition from Tom Hardy for Locke, Jack O’Connell (Starred Up), Jim Broadbent for Le Week-end and Steve Coogan for Philomena.

There would be no trip to the stage to pick up a BIFA for JudiDench in the best actress category, nominated for her role in Philomena.

Instead, Lindsay Duncan won for Le Week-end beating Dench, Scarlett Johansson for Under The Skin, Felicity Jones for The Invisible Woman and Saoirse Ronan for How I Live Now.

The evening's best supporting actress award went to Imogen Poots for The Look of Love, ahead of a field boasting Siobhan Finneran (The Selfish Giant), Shirley Henderson (Filth), Kristin Scott Thomas (The Invisible Woman) and Mia Wasikowska (The Double).

The awards, sponsored by French champagne house Moet et Chandon, also saw U.S. hopes dashed as Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine and Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha missed out on the day's best international independent film category with Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue Is The Warmest Color emerging victorious in a field also including Paolo Sorrentino's The Great Beauty and Wadjda, directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour.

The winners for the 16tthannual Moet British Independent Film Awards took home the brand new iconic award designed by Fredrikson Stallard and created by Swarovski.

The awards' co-directors Johanna von Fischer and Tessa Collinson described the independent jury's task as "an extremely tough job," saying they have been asked "to choose from an impressive pool of talent and creativity in a year where the diversity of storytelling is more extreme than ever."

The pair described the independent film industry in the U.K. as one currently "producing a new generation of fearless artists both behind and in front of the camera who represent that richness of our diverse British society. With so many of the films exploring themes about being less judgmental and more forgiving, perhaps reflecting a movement within British independent filmmaking that brings much hope for the future."

Julie Walters was awarded the coveted Richard Harris award for outstanding contribution by an actor to British film.The Special Jury prize went to Sixteen Films & friends (AKA Team Ken Loach), in recognition of their contribution bringing the work of U.K. director Loach to life.

Find the full list of winners below:

BEST BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM

Sponsored by Moet & Chandon

Metro Manila

BEST DIRECTOR

Sponsored by AllCity & Intermission

Sean Ellis– Metro Manila

THE DOUGLAS HICKOX AWARD [BEST DEBUT DIRECTOR]

Sponsored by 3 Mills Studios

Paul Wright– For Those in Peril

BEST SCREENPLAY

Steven Knight– Locke

BEST ACTRESS

Sponsored by M.A.C Cosmetics

Lindsay Duncan– Le Week-end

BEST ACTOR

Sponsored by BBC Films

James McAvoy– Filth

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Imogen Poots– The Look Of Love

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Sponsored by Sanderson & St Martins Lane

Ben Mendelsohn– Starred Up

MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

Sponsored by Studiocanal

Chloe Pirrie– Shell

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

Sponsored by Company3

Metro Manila

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Sponsored by LightBrigade Media

Amy Hubbard – Casting – The Selfish Giant

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Pussy Riot - A Punk Prayer

BEST BRITISH SHORT

Z1

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT FILM

Blue is the Warmest Color

THE RAINDANCE AWARD

Sponsored by Wentworth Media and Arts

Everyone’s Going to Die

The Machine

THE RICHARD HARRIS AWARD(for outstanding contribution by an actor to British Film)